What Is The Matter With Kansas-The Film Adaptation Of William Inge’s “Picnic” (1955)-A Review

DVD Review

By Sandy Salmon

Picnic, starring Kim Novak, William Holden, Susan Strasberg, Rosalind Russell, directed by Joshua Logan, adapted from the play by William Inge, 1955     

There is a lot of nostalgia talk around these days in some circles about going back to the good old days when things went at a slower pace and when the old values that had gotten America through a few crises held forth. Values that would play in Peoria or in the location of the film under review, Picnic, Kansas. The plotline, the feel of this whole film is almost a chemically pure example of what people thought the good old days looked like-a time when everybody knew their place, or else. This makes the film worth a look if for no other reason. 

Of course romance, the inevitable boy meets girl thing, has to come by and mar this idyllic view of the past. That boy meets girl thing, in this case a drifter named Hal, played by a “mature” William Holden and Madge (see even the names evoke another time), played by a young Kim Novak, trying to figure out what the attraction is between them. (By the way “mature” Hal who ostensibly has as his date to the picnic Millie, played by Susan Strasberg, a high school student might have a hard time not being picked up for some child abuse crime these days. Hell he would barely pass with the nineteen year old Madge. We will let that all pass though).

Here’s the play. Hal, the former king of the hill when he was a college football star now on his uppers, figures that he will cut old touches with his college roommate, Alan, who is the scion to some wheat money (come on remember this is Kansas where they have wheat coming out of their ears) and get back on track. He drifts into town off a freight train which tells a lot about how he has missed out on the golden age of American plenty by being just a shade not good enough. At first things between Hal and Alan seem to portend some lucky breaks for Hal. Then Alan’s girl, his sweetie, Madge stirs up plenty of anxiety once Hal gets a good look at her. Of course Madge is beautiful but wants to be known for more than that (in contrast to brainy and semi-bohemian younger sister Millie who sees herself as an ugly duckling which causes tensions between the two until the end of the film).           

Then Alan makes his first wrong move. He invite’s the brawny Hal (beefcake they called it showing Hal physique off many times during the course of the film to make all the girl titter-oh yeah, in the audience too) to the annual Labor Day picnic thrown by the town fathers (you know you are in a different era when they have a local celebration for Labor Day when today it is just another long summer’s end weekend to head someplace not in your town). Before the day, maybe before the night is over is a better way to put the matter, there has been a sea-change that has rocked that little corner of Kansas. Madge is elected festival queen, which seems right, Millie gets sickenly drunk, and Madge and Hal “dance” one of the most sensually provocative dances I have seen on film in long while (they probably need air conditioning in the theaters after that episode). The result: Alan is out and Hal is in except for one final conflict between Alan and Hal over, well you know, over Madge what else would guys fight over. Hal, the consummate drifter has to flee town on that same hobo freight out. But guess what his flame Madge follows him to whatever the future may bring. So maybe there was nothing wrong with Kansas then, although if you reached below the surface you know that not all was right in the golden age.